Chumash Newshttp://www.chumashcasino.com/blog
We're All About UThu, 26 Mar 2015 17:40:45 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.1Kathy Griffin Live on April 2http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/kathy-griffin-live-on-april-2
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/kathy-griffin-live-on-april-2#commentsThu, 26 Mar 2015 17:40:45 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=527Leave it to Kathy Griffin to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge up a notch. When the comedienne got a chilly dousing for charity, she did so wearing nothing more than red stilettos. However, the naughty bits were blurred out for screening on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

When Griffin has an audience, pretty much the only guarantee is that things won’t be dull.

Whether she’s skewering religion, self-important celebrities or getting herself banned as a talk show guest, Griffin has made a name for herself as a hilarious provocateur.

She’s honed her wicked wit throughout a decades-long career that began in Los Angeles comedy clubs. It then expanded onto the small screen with a role in the ’90s sitcom, “Suddenly Susan” and later, on her own Emmy Award-winning reality series, “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.”

She’ll bring her outspoken act to Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom for two performances (7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.) on April 2.

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/kathy-griffin-live-on-april-2/feed0Going Into Wine Therapyhttp://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/going-into-wine-therapy
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/going-into-wine-therapy#commentsTue, 24 Mar 2015 19:35:38 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=524To enjoy the benefits of wine, you don’t need to drink it – you can soak it up through a variety of wine-infused skincare products. Research shows that wine can have benefits beyond being pleasurable to your palate. Medical experts have discovered that grapes contain antioxidants that can actually slow down the aging process and not only make you live longer but also keep you looking younger.

Leading skincare lines are now turning to grape seed extract to incorporate into a variety of antioxidant-rich moisturizers, oils and scrubs. One of those skincare lines is Olavie. Olavie sources an extract from the seeds of Chardonnay grapes. The extraction is done immediately following harvest but before fermentation that saves the highest amount of antioxidant.

The wine grape-infused skincare products are now available at The Spa along with a new series of wine-therapy treatments that will leave your skin smooth and radiant. All of The Spa’s Wine Therapy treatments include Olavie skincare products.

Wine Therapy Package No. 1 includes a 50-minute Swedish Massage. The full body massage is a combination of a soft touch and deep-tissue technique. The massage is followed by a rejuvenating 50-minute facial and wraps up with an ultra-relaxing and luxurious 80-minute pedicure.

Wine Therapy Package No. 2 features a wine-infused 25-minute body scrub that exfoliates and softens the skin. The scrub is followed by a relaxing 50-minute Swedish massage and also includes a 50-minute facial.

Wine Therapy Package No. 3 is a treat for your tired feet. The 80-minute manicure and pedicure will not only leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed, it will leave your feet looking and feeling their best.

- Written by Hildy Medina

To schedule an appointment at The Spa, call 805-691-1755. The Spa is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/going-into-wine-therapy/feed0Pepe Aguilar Live on March 27http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/pepe-aguilar-live-on-march-27
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/pepe-aguilar-live-on-march-27#commentsThu, 19 Mar 2015 16:39:19 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=520Pepe Aguilar, a singer-songwriter in the Ranchera, Mariachi and Pop genres with global sales of more than 12 million albums, is today’s most recognizable voice in Latin music.

Born in the U.S. but raised in Zacatecas, Mexico, Pepe was encouraged to enter the world of music by his influential parents, recording legends Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre. He first reached the stage at the age of 3 and just two years later, performed at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Aguilar was later inspired by progressive Rock groups like Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull, and decided to buy a drum set. While dabbling in Rock music in his teenage years, he returned to Tejano mixing the traditional style with modern Pop influences. As a strong identity in the Latin scene, he also developed a successful acting career.

Among his biggest albums are “Por Mujeres Como Tu,” which spent nearly a year on the Latin and Mexican charts, “Por una Mujer Bonita” which earned Aguilar a Grammy for Best Mexican- American/Tejano Music Performance, “Y Tenerte Olta Vez,” “No Soy de Nadie” and “Historias de Mi Tierra.”

In 2002, Aguilar was the first singer of Mexican descent to sing at the legendary Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California. He was also the first Latino to sing at L.A.’s Kodak Theater. Don’t miss your chance to see Pepe Aguilar perform some of his popular hits in the Samala Showroom on March 27.

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/pepe-aguilar-live-on-march-27/feed0Service Beyond a Smilehttp://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/service-beyond-a-smile
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/service-beyond-a-smile#commentsWed, 18 Mar 2015 17:56:52 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=516Throughout the coming months, guests at the Chumash Casino Resort will clearly begin to see the current casino and hotel expansion project take shape, with floor layouts being rearranged and construction areas altering some guests’ normal routines.

If you have questions about the construction or the temporary changes on the gaming floor, the third floor or in the Samala Showroom, our team members at the Chumash Casino Resort are well-equipped to listen to your concerns and provide answers.

These guest service “superpowers” will be called upon throughout this relatively short period of transition, but the Chumash Casino Resort team members will be prepared, thanks to countless hours of training sessions that underscore the importance of enhancing the guest experience.

It all starts with the training department’s signature program called Chumash University’s New Hire Orientation, a three day course that new employees take to become familiar with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, the casino’s operations, the hotels and restaurants, and the organization’s emphasis on guest service.

“New Hire Orientation is the foundation for introducing our team members to guest service,” said Maria Jones, a trainer for Chumash University. “We also provide refresher courses for team members to simply remind them how important it is to interact with guests and build those relationships.”

Some businesses tout quality customer service as “service with a smile,” but Chumash University’s programs highlight how important it is for team members to engage with our guests and truly listen to any concerns they may have.

“When you interact with someone and it’s genuinely heartfelt, they can tell,” said Janet Rodriguez, training manager at the Chumash Casino Resort. “And if it’s heartfelt, guests will remember. We discuss that in guest service training because this is a unique property. We have a large number of regular guests who come here to be entertained, but they also value the relationships they’ve made with our team members.

“I was just at the casino yesterday and saw a team member asking a guest, ‘How’s your granddaughter doing?’” Rodriguez added. “Our team members get to know our guests’ entire families, even though it’s only that one member of the family who comes to the casino. Those are the relationships we want to be building because it relates to our overall mission – our guests’ restorative indulgence is our responsibility.”

Guests enjoy getting refreshments from their favorite beverage server or getting paid out on a jackpot by their favorite slot attendant because of the relationships they’ve fostered with Chumash Casino Resort team members.

Tiffany Eastmark, a trainer with Chumash University, admits that some team members are more outgoing than others, and it can be a challenge to get the shy ones to buy in to the program.

“We just encourage them to go the extra mile because when they do, our guests are going to remember,” Eastmark said. “I love it when team members stop me in the hall to tell me about a situation that happened and how they helped one of our guests. That’s what it’s all about.”

- Written by Mike Traphagen

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/service-beyond-a-smile/feed0Sawyer Brown Live on March 26http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/sawyer-brown-live-on-march-26
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/sawyer-brown-live-on-march-26#commentsThu, 12 Mar 2015 17:48:05 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=513After catching their big break on Ed McMahon’s “Star Search,” Sawyer Brown went on to capture the hearts of Country music fans and lighting up the Billboard charts, earning top honors along the way.

To date, they’ve released 23 studio albums. Three have been certified Gold in the United States for selling 500,000 copies. More than 50 of their singles have entered the U.S.Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including three No. 1 singles – “Step That Step,” “Some Girls Do” and “Thank God for You.” Sawyer Brown also received a Horizon Award from the Country Music Association in 1985, a Vocal Group of the Year award in 1997 from the Academy of Country Musicand five Vocal Band of the Year Awards from the TNN Music City News Country Awards.

The group’s members were originally part of Country pop singer Don King’s road band. When King stopped touring in 1981, the group decided to stay together, taking the name “Sawyer Brown” after Sawyer Brown Road, the street where they rehearsed. The band eventually auditioned for the TV show “Star Search” in 1983 and ended up winning the $100,000 Grand Prize and record contract.

The group’s current lineup features Mark Miller (vocals), Jim Scholten (bass), Gregg Hubbard (keyboards), Joe Smyth (drums) and Shayne Hill (lead guitar). See them perform in the Samala Showroom on March 26.

- Written by Mike Traphagen

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/sawyer-brown-live-on-march-26/feed0Riding the Mississippihttp://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/riding-the-mississippi
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/riding-the-mississippi#commentsTue, 10 Mar 2015 18:20:30 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=510The Chumash Casino Resort features a wide variety of table games, including many novelty games that are based on the rules of poker.

One game that’s featured on the gaming floor – and hard to find at other casinos – is Mississippi Stud, a five-card poker game in which players compete against a paytable, not against the dealer or other players.

“For me, I like this one because you really don’t have to think too much,” said Harold H. of Ventura. “It’s kind of like the other games. In Let It Ride, you put your bets out there, then you can pull certain bets back if your hand isn’t so great. In this game, if you have a good hand, you can keep betting with every card the dealer turns over. That makes it fun.”

Players make an ante wager (between $5 and $25) and are dealt two cards. The dealer then places three community cards face down, which will eventually allow players to complete their five-card hands.

After viewing their two cards, players can either fold or buy the first community card by placing a wager in the “3rd Street” circle. When that card is revealed, they can either fold or wager on the second community card (4th Street). Players then complete the hand by either folding or wagering on the final community card (5th Street). Players can wager up to three times their ante bet on each “Street,” and they are paid according to the paytable on each one of those wagers.

The paytable is clearly marked on the felt for every player to see. The big prize is, of course, a Royal Flush, which pays 500-to-1 on the ante, 3rd Street, 4th Street and 5th Street wagers.

“I like the no-brainers,” said Marilyn N. of Lompoc. “If you’re dealt 6s, you know you’re at least getting your bets back, so you get to bet on all the (Streets). And if the dealer turns over a 6, then you have 3-of-a-kind, and that pays 3-to-1 on all the bets you have out there. It’s a fun game.”

The Chumash Casino Resort also recently added a 3-Card Bonus wager to the game. This side wager, which has to be made when the player makes an ante wager, has a $5-$100 limit, and it only concerns the three community cards. Payouts on the bonus range from 1-to-1 for a pair to 40-to-1 for a straight flush.

“What’s nice about the bonus is you’re still in the game after you’ve folded your hand, because it’s all about what the dealer has,” explains Amy M. of Thousand Oaks. “Sometimes, the cards you’re dealt aren’t so great, but if you’re playing the bonus, you still have a chance at winning something when all the cards come out.”

- Written by Mike Traphagen

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/riding-the-mississippi/feed0With a Little Help From His Friendshttp://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/with-a-little-help-from-his-friends
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/with-a-little-help-from-his-friends#commentsThu, 05 Mar 2015 18:32:28 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=507According to the lyrics, it’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band that’s guaranteed to raise a smile, but as someone who has seen Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band(s) three times, this reporter swears it’s actually Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band that leaves an audience grinning ear to ear.

Visitors to the Chumash Casino Resort will be able to put that promise to the test on March 12 at 8 p.m. when Mr. Starr and company – including members of Toto, Mr. Mister and Santana – set up shop in the Samala Showroom for a master’s class in rock ‘n’ roll.

“I’m always touring,” Starr, born Richard Starkey Jr. in 1940, told Britain’s NME in September. “I love to play – that’s why I do this. A lot of the bands wanna do it to be famous. But I wanna do it to play. That was all my dream was about, and then we became famous.”

The All-Starr concept is more than a play on Ringo’s surname; each time the All-Starr band has hit the road since the concept’s inception in 1989, Ringo has been joined by astounding sidemen whose day-job musical careers are (almost) as big as the Beatles’.

Besides getting a chance to play with Ringo – and who doesn’t love Ringo, who’s still “the funny one” – they get a chance to play a couple of their own hits with a fabulous set of musicians. Over the years, folks like Joe Walsh and Dr. John have gladly shared the limelight with Mr. Starr on these tours; this year’s model draws heavily from the 1980s.

Ringo, of course, gets to perform more than a couple of his songs, and expect to hear a heaping helping of Beatles classics, such as “Yellow Submarine” and “Don’t Pass Me Buy,” his solo hits like “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Photograph,” and a show-stopping, throw-in the-kitchen-sink, all-hands-on-deck rendition of the oh-so-apt “With a Little Help from My Friends.” When he’s not singing, he’ll pop up a few times at his old haunt, the drum kit.

This All-Starr Band features guitar virtuoso Steve Lukather, a session player on more than 1,500 albums but best known as the lead guitarist for Toto; Richard Page, the voice of Mr. Mister (remember “Broken Wings”?); Gregg Rolie, the founding keyboardist for Santana and Journey; guitarist and famed producer Todd Rundgren (cross your fingers that he electrifies the house with “Bang the Drum All Day”); drummer Gregg Bissonette; and sax player Warren Ham.

It’s been a big couple of months for Ringo. Besides announcing his new tour – he’s playing in Mexico City two days before Santa Ynez – Ringo is releasing a new album this year and he’s just been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. (Yes, that band he used to be in was inducted years ago, but he’s now been tapped on his own post-Beatles merits).

Meanwhile, expect Ringo to flash a lot of his trademark peace signs in concert, and talk about “peace and love.”

- Written by Lee Michaelson

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/with-a-little-help-from-his-friends/feed0Flexing Some Musclehttp://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/flexing-some-muscle
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/flexing-some-muscle#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 21:18:28 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=504The Chumash Casino Resort will place power on display throughout March when its weekly car giveaway features the muscle car that seemingly oozed testosterone for a generation of auto enthusiasts – the Chevy Camaro.

In fact, the weekly car giveaway will feature two 2015 Chevy Camaro 2LS vehicles, giving Club Chumash Card holders two chances to win a sports car every Sunday in March.

The new 2015 Camaro underlines the iconic design that makes Camaro a modern classic. Design cues represent a laser-like commitment to style and performance, while functional, powerful and solution-driven results offer plenty of capabilities without compromising attitude.

But this sports car is more than a beautifully styled body, because what’s on the inside matters too. The Camaro 2LS offers a 6-speed automatic transmission with TAPshift manual shift control and an EPAestimated 30 miles per gallon on the highway.

The drawings will occur at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. Drawings for free play prizes will be held at 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., then every half hour starting at 7 p.m. until the next car giveaway winner is announced at 10 p.m.

Entries are earned weekly starting every Monday at 12 a.m. and will expire on the day of the drawing after the final winner is drawn at 10 p.m. For every 10 reward points earned while playing with a Club Chumash Card during the weekly promotional period, one entry is earned into the drawing. Table games entries are earned based upon average bet and time played with a Club Chumash Card, excluding Poker and Bingo. To be eligible, participants must check in by inserting their Club Chumash Card into any slot machine, getting rated on a table game by using their Club Chumash Card, or requesting to be checked in at the Club Chumash desk on the day of the drawing. Check-in starts at 3 p.m.

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/flexing-some-muscle/feed0America Live on February 26http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/america-live-on-february-26
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/america-live-on-february-26#commentsThu, 19 Feb 2015 18:17:45 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=499America first started in the U.K. before climbing the U.S. Pop/Rock charts. Their lush harmonies and evocative lyrics carved out their place among the greatest in Rock history.

Founding members, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (along with drummer Dan Peek, who died in 2011) met in the late 1960s at a London high school for children of U.S. armed services personnel. All three were musically inclined and decided to form a band. They wanted to avoid anyone thinking they were Brits trying to sound American, which led to the name, “America.”

They quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song, “A Horse With No Name.” America became a household name and paved the way with an impressive string of hits following the success of their first No. 1 single.

More than 40 years later, Beckley and Bunnell have soldiered on touring the world and entertaining audiences with their timeless sound. Catch their live performance in the Samala Showroom on February 26.

]]>http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/america-live-on-february-26/feed0The Fab Four Live on February 19http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/the-fab-four-live-on-february-19
http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/the-fab-four-live-on-february-19#commentsFri, 13 Feb 2015 17:21:01 +0000http://www.chumashcasino.com/blog/?p=496Get ready for a surge of “Beatlemania” when the ultimate Beatles tribute band, The Fab Four, returns to Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom and captures the essence of John, Paul, George and Ringo.

The Fab Four is a California-based tribute band founded in 1997 by Ron McNeil. The original group is comprised of Ron McNeil, Ardy Sarraf, Rolo Sandoval and Michael Amador, and they have been performing together for the past 12 years.

Uncanny, note-for-note live renditions of the Beatles songs performed by these strikingly look-a-like singers in meticulously recreated costumes, will make you feel like you’re watching the original band. Their incredible stage performances include three costume changes representing every era of the Beatles career. The Fab Four has traveled the world performing such classic Beatles hits as “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Yesterday,” “A Day In The Life,” “Twist and Shout,” “Here Comes the Sun” and “Hey Jude.”

On February 19 in the Samala Showroom, relive the “British Invasion” with The Fab Four as their unparalleled precision recaptures the excitement and sounds of that legendary band.